AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

SEMINAR PRESENTATION

PRESENTED BY
NUPUR SINGH
PRERANA SINGH
SHRUTI GUPTA

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

DEFINITION
AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS ARE USED TO KEEP HOUSEHOLD AIR FROM
BECOMING UNCOMFORTABLY HOT, HUMID, OR STALE.
AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS ARE FAIRLY COMPLEX, SO THEY ARE USUALLY
INSTALLED AS A HOUSE IS BEING BUILT.
THIS SYSTEM INVOLVES THREE SEPARATE CYCLES:
-THE AIR CYCLING THROUGH THE DUCTS INSIDE THE HOUSE
-THE FLOW OF AIR THROUGH THE UNIT OUTSIDE THE HOUSE
-THE CIRCULATION OF THE REFRIGERANT BETWEEN THE INSIDE
AND
OUTSIDE UNITS.
THEORETICALLY,
AN
AIR-CONDITIONING
SYSTEM
CONSISTS
OF
CENTRALIZED EQUIPMENT THAT PROVIDES AN ATMOSPHERE WITH
CONTROLLED TEMPERATURE, HUMIDITY, AND PURITY AT ALL TIMES,
REGARDLESS OF WEATHER CONDITIONS.
IN POPULAR USAGE, HOWEVER, THE TERM AIR CONDITIONING OFTEN IS
APPLIED IMPROPERLY TO AIR COOLING. MANY SO-CALLED AIRCONDITIONING
UNITS
CONSIST
MERELY
OF
BLOWER-EQUIPPED
REFRIGERATING UNITS THAT PROVIDE ONLY A FLOW OF COOL, FILTERED
AIR.

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

GLOSSARY
AIR CONDITIONER - ASSEMBLY OF EQUIPMENT FOR THE SIMULTANEOUS
CONTROL OF AIR TEMPERATURE, RELATIVE HUMIDITY, PURITY, AND
MOTION.
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE - THE TEMPERATURE, USUALLY OF THE AIR, THAT
SURROUNDS OPERATING EQUIPMENT.
BTU (BRITISH THERMAL UNIT) - A BTU IS THE AMOUNT OF HEAT REQUIRED
TO RAISE THE TEMPERATURE OF ONE POUND (0.45 KG) OF WATER 1
DEGREE FAHRENHEIT (0.56 DEGREES CELSIUS).1 BTU EQUALS 1,055
JOULES.
BTUH - THE NUMBER OF BTUS IN AN HOUR.
CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM -SYSTEM IN WHICH AIR IS TREATED AT
A CENTRAL LOCATION AND CARRIED TO AND FROM THE ROOMS BY ONE OR
MORE FANS AND A SYSTEM OF DUCTS.

Compressor - The pump that moves the refrigerant from the

indoor cooling coil to the outdoor condenser and back to the
cooling coil again. The compressor is often called "the heart of
the system" because it circulates the refrigerant through the
loop.
COOLING CAPACITY - A MEASURE OF THE ABILITY OF A UNIT TO REMOVE
HEAT FROM AN ENCLOSED SPACE.

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

GLOSSARY
CONDENSER - A DEVICE THAT TRANSFERS UNWANTED HEAT OUT OF A
REFRIGERATION SYSTEM TO A MEDIUM (EITHER AIR, WATER, OR A
COMBINATION OF AIR AND WATER) THAT ABSORBS THE HEAT AND
TRANSFERS IT TO A DISPOSAL POINT. THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF
CONDENSERS:
AIR-COOLED CONDENSERS
WATER-COOLED CONDENSERS
EVAPORATIVE CONDENSERS.
CONDENSER COIL - A SERIES OR NETWORK OF TUBES FILLED WITH
REFRIGERANT, NORMALLY LOCATED OUTSIDE THE HOME, THAT REMOVES
HEAT FROM THE HOT, GASEOUS REFRIGERANT SO THAT THE REFRIGERANT
BECOMES LIQUID AGAIN.
COEFFICIENT OF PERFORMANCE - COP OF A HEAT PUMP MEANS THE RATIO
OF THE RATE OF USEFUL HEAT OUTPUT DELIVERED BY THE COMPLETE HEAT
PUMP UNIT (EXCLUSIVE OF SUPPLEMENTARY HEATING) TO THE
CORRESPONDING RATE OF ENERGY INPUT, IN CONSISTENT UNITS AND
UNDER OPERATING CONDITIONS.
EER - ENERGY EFFICIENCY RATIO MEANS THE RATIO OF THE COOLING
CAPACITY OF THE AIR CONDITIONER IN BRITISH THERMAL UNITS PER
HOUR, TO THE TOTAL ELECTRICAL INPUT IN WATTS UNDER SPECIFIED TEST
CONDITIONS.

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

GLOSSARY
ENTHALPY - HEAT CONTENT OR TOTAL HEAT, INCLUDING BOTH SENSIBLE
AND LATENT HEAT. THE AMOUNT OF HEAT CONTAINED IN A REFRIGERANT
AT ANY GIVEN TEMPERATURE WITH REFERENCE TO -40F.
cooling coil - ABSORBS HEAT FROM THE SURROUNDING AIR OR LIQUID AND
MOVES IT OUTSIDE THE REFRIGERATED AREA BY MEANS OF A
REFRIGERANT. IT IS ALSO KNOWN AS A COOLING COIL, BLOWER COIL,
CHILLING UNIT OR INDOOR COIL.
cooling coil COIL - A SERIES OR NETWORK OF TUBES FILLED WITH
REFRIGERANT LOCATED INSIDE THE HOME THAT TAKE HEAT AND MOISTURE
OUT OF INDOOR AIR AS LIQUID REFRIGERANT EVAPORATES.
HEAT PUMP - AN AIR CONDITIONER CAPABLE OF HEATING BY
REFRIGERATION. IT MAY OR MAY NOT INCLUDE A CAPABILITY FOR COOLING.
OUTSIDE AIR OR WATER IS USED AS A HEAT SOURCE OR HEAT SINK,
DEPENDING UPON WHETHER THE SYSTEM IS HEATING OR COOLING.
HEATING CAPACITY - A MEASURE OF THE ABILITY OF A UNIT TO ADD HEAT
TO AN ENCLOSED SPACE.
(K) FACTOR - THE INSULATING VALUE OF ANY MATERIAL. ALSO KNOWN AS
CONDUCTIVITY.

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

GLOSSARY
LATENT HEAT - THE HEAT ENERGY NEEDED TO CHANGE THE STATE OF A
SUBSTANCE BUT NOT IT'S TEMPERATURE.
SENSIBLE HEAT - HEAT ENERGY THAT CAUSES A RISE OR FALL IN THE
TEMPERATURE OF A GAS, LIQUID OR SOLID WHEN ADDED OR REMOVED
FROM THAT MATERIAL.
SUPERCOOLED LIQUID - LIQUID REFRIGERANT COOLED BELOW ITS
SATURATION POINT.
SUBCOOLING - CREATING A DROP IN TEMPERATURE BY REMOVING
SENSIBLE HEAT FROM A REFRIGERANT LIQUID.
SUPERHEATED VAPOUR - REFRIGERANT VAPOR HEATED BEYOND ITS
SATURATION POINT.
SUPERHEATING - CREATING A RISE IN TEMPERATURE BY ADDING HEAT
ENERGY TO A REFRIGERATION VAPOR.
TON - THE UNIT OF MEASUREMENT FOR AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM
CAPACITY. ONE TON OF AIR CONDITIONING REMOVES 12,000 BTU'S OF
HEAT ENERGY PER HOUR FROM A HOME. CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONERS ARE
SIZED IN TONS. RESIDENTIAL UNITS USUALLY RANGE FROM 1 TO 5 TONS.

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

REFRIGERATION CYCLE

AN AIR CONDITIONER IS BASICALLY A

REFRIGERATOR WITHOUT THE INSULATED
BOX. IT USES THE EVAPORATION OF A
REFRIGERANT, LIKE FREON, TO PROVIDE
COOLING.
THE
MECHANICS
OF
THE
FREON
EVAPORATION CYCLE ARE THE SAME IN A
REFRIGERATOR AS IN AN AIR CONDITIONER.
THE
COMPRESSOR
COMPRESSES
COOL
FREON GAS, CAUSING IT TO BECOME HOT,
HIGH-PRESSURE FREON GAS.
THIS HOT GAS RUNS THROUGH A SET OF
COILS SO IT CAN DISSIPATE ITS HEAT, AND IT
CONDENSES INTO A LIQUID.
THE FREON LIQUID RUNS THROUGH AN
EXPANSION VALVE, AND IN THE PROCESS IT
EVAPORATES TO BECOME COLD, LOWPRESSURE FREON GAS.
THIS COLD GAS RUNS THROUGH A SET OF
COILS THAT ALLOW THE GAS TO ABSORB
HEAT AND COOL DOWN THE AIR INSIDE THE
BUILDING

THE PRINCIPLE

COLD FREON GAS

HOT FREON GAS

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

AIR CYCLE

AIR PASSES THROUGH A FILTER TO REMOVE DUST PARTICLES.

THEN IT ENTERS A BLOWER, WHICH SENDS THE AIR INTO THE cooling
coil.
THE HOT AIR VAPORIZES THE REFRIGERANT, WHICH COOLS THE AIR AND
TRANSPORTS THE HEAT OUT OF THE HOUSE.
CLEAN, COOL AIR THEN PASSES THROUGH THE DUCT SYSTEM AND
THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE, LATER RETURNING TO BE COOLED AGAIN.
THE REFRIGERANT IS CONDENSED, COOLED BY OUTSIDE AIR,
COMPRESSED, AND THEN SENT BACK TO THE cooling coil

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

THE DESIGN OF AN AIR-CONDITIONING
SYSTEM DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF
STRUCTURE IN WHICH THE SYSTEM IS
TO BE PLACED, THE AMOUNT OF SPACE
TO BE COOLED, THE NUMBER OF
OCCUPANTS, AND THE NATURE OF
THEIR ACTIVITY.
A ROOM OR BUILDING WITH LARGE
WINDOWS EXPOSED TO THE SUN, OR
AN INDOOR OFFICE SPACE WITH MANY
HEAT-PRODUCING LIGHTS, REQUIRES A
SYSTEM WITH A LARGER COOLING
CAPACITY
THAN
AN
ALMOST
WINDOWLESS ROOM IN WHICH COOL
FLUORESCENT LIGHTING IS USED.
THE CIRCULATION OF AIR MUST BE
GREATER IN A SPACE IN WHICH THE
OCCUPANTS ARE ALLOWED TO SMOKE
THAN IN A SPACE OF EQUAL CAPACITY
IN WHICH SMOKING IS PROHIBITED.

DESIGNING A.C SYSTEM

IN HOMES OR APARTMENTS,
MOST OF THE COOLED OR
HEATED
AIR
CAN
BE
RECIRCULATED
WITHOUT
DISCOMFORT
TO
THE
OCCUPANTS
HOWEVER IN LABORATORIES
OR FACTORIES EMPLOYING
PROCESSES THAT GENERATE
NOXIOUS FUMES, NO AIR CAN
BE RECIRCULATED, AND A
CONSTANT
SUPPLY
OF
COOLED OR HEATED FRESH
AIR MUST BE SUPPLIED.

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

WORKING OF A.C.
IN THE CIRCUIT OF MECHANISMS THROUGH WHICH THE REFRIGERANT FREON
12 FLOWS, THERE ARE FIVE MAIN ELEMENTS. STARTING FROM THE POINT
WHERE WE WISH TO REMOVE HEAT:
1) cooling coil
2) COMPRESSOR
3) CONDENSER
4) LIQUID RECEIVER
5) EXPANSION VALVE.
IN ADDITION, VARIOUS CONTROL AND SAFETY DEVICES ARE CONNECTED
INTO THE CIRCUIT.

cooling coil
THE cooling coil IS SIMPLY A BANK, OR COIL, OF COPPER TUBING. IT IS
FILLED WITH REFRIGERANT AT LOW PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE.
HEAT FLOWING FROM THE AIR SPACES OR ARTICLES TO BE COOLED INTO
THE COIL CAUSES THE LIQUID TO BOIL.
BOILING CAN TAKE PLACE ONLY AT THE ENTRANCE OF LATENT HEAT OF
VAPORIZATION, AND THIS LATENT HEAT CAN COME ONLY FROM THE
SURROUNDING SUBSTANCES. HENCE THE TEMPERATURES OF THE
SURROUNDING SUBSTANCES ARE LOWERED.
THE LATTER PORTION OF THE cooling coil COIL IS THEREFORE FILLED WITH
FREON 12 VAPOR AT LOW-PRESSURE, CARRYING WITH IT THE UNWANTED
HEAT.

10

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

COMPRESSOR

WORKING OF A.C.

THIS VAPOR DOES NOT REMAIN IN THE

cooling coil. THE COMPRESSOR IS
OPERATING AND THE SUCTION WHICH
IT EXERTS (ON THE cooling coil SIDE OF
ITS CIRCUIT) PULLS THE HEAT-LADEN
VAPOR OUT OF THE cooling coil,
THROUGH THE PIPING, AND INTO THE
COMPRESSOR.
THE COMPRESSOR, THEREFORE, IS THE
MECHANISM THAT KEEPS THE FREON 12
IN
CIRCULATION
THROUGH
THE
SYSTEM.
IN THE COMPRESSOR CYLINDERS, THE
FREON 12 IS COMPRESSED FROM A
LOW-PRESSURE VAPOR TO A HIGHPRESSURE
VAPOR,
AND
ITS
TEMPERATURE THEREFORE RISES.

11

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

CONDENSOR
THE FREON VAPOR, NOW AT HIGH
PRESSURE,
PASSES
INTO
THE
CONDENSER, WHERE THE VAPOUR PASSES
AROUND THE TUBES THROUGH WHICH
WATER IS CONTINUOUSLY PUMPED.
HERE THE EXCESS HEAT FLOWS BY
CONDUCTION THROUGH THE WALLS OF
THE
TUBING
FROM
THE
HIGHER
TEMPERATURE
VAPOUR
TO
THE
RELATIVELY
LOWER
TEMPERATURE
WATER, AND HERE THE UNWANTED HEAT
LEAVES THE PRIMARY REFRIGERATING
SYSTEM AND IS FINALLY CARRIED AWAY.
THE EXCESS HEAT THUS FLOWING OUT OF
THE VAPOUR IS BOTH SUPERHEAT AND
LATENT HEAT OF VAPORIZATION, AND
THEREFORE THE VAPOUR CONDENSES
BACK TO THE LIQUID STATE.
THE LIQUID FREON 12 IS NOW AT HIGH
PRESSURE AND HIGH TEMPERATURE.

WORKING OF A.C.
RECIEVER
THE LIQUID FREON 12
GOES NOW INTO THE
RECEIVER, OR TANK.
THE LIQUID IN THIS
RECEIVER ACTS AS A
SEAL
BETWEEN
THE
VAPOR
IN
THE
CONDENSER AND THE
LIQUID AS IT FLOWS
INTO
THE
NEXT
ELEMENT,
THE
EXPANSION VALVE, SO
THAT THE LIQUID FREON
12 IN THE EXPANSION
VALVE MAY BE FREE OF
VAPOR.

12

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

EXPANSION VALVE

THE LIQUID FREON 12 ENTERS THE

EXPANSION VALVE AT HIGH-PRESSURE
AND HIGH TEMPERATURE.
THIS VALVE REGULATES THE FLOW OF
THE REFRIGERANT INTO THE cooling
coil.
THE
LIQUID
OUTLET
FROM
THIS
EXPANSION VALVE IS A SMALL OPENING
CALLED THE ORIFICE.
IN PASSING THROUGH THE ORIFICE, THE
LIQUID IS SUBJECTED TO A THROTTLING
ACTION, AND IS DISPERSED INTO A
FINELY DIVIDED FORM. THE FREON 12
IS NOW AGAIN A LIQUID AT LOW
PRESSURE AND LOW TEMPERATURE,
AND IS AGAIN ENTERING THE cooling
coil, ITS CYCLE COMPLETED, AND
REPEATED.
EVERY PART OF THE CYCLE IS TAKING
PLACE
SIMULTANEOUSLY
AND
CONTINUOUSLY
THROUGHOUT
THE
CIRCUIT AS LONG AS REFRIGERATION IS
WANTED.

WORKING OF A.C.

13

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

A WINDOW AIR CONDITIONER UNIT
IMPLEMENTS
A
COMPLETE
AIR
CONDITIONER IN A SMALL SPACE.
THE UNITS ARE MADE SMALL ENOUGH
TO FIT INTO A STANDARD WINDOW
FRAME.
IT COMPRISES OF :
A COMPRESSOR
AN EXPANSION VALVE
A HOT COIL (ON THE OUTSIDE)
A CHILLED COIL (ON THE INSIDE)
TWO FANS
A CONTROL UNIT
THE FANS BLOW AIR OVER THE COILS
TO
IMPROVE
THEIR
ABILITY
TO
DISSIPATE HEAT (TO THE OUTSIDE AIR)
AND COLD (TO THE ROOM BEING
COOLED).

WINDOW AC UNIT

14

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

SPLIT SYSTEM - A CENTRAL AIR
CONDITIONER CONSISTING OF TWO
OR MORE MAJOR COMPONENTS. THE
SYSTEM USUALLY CONSISTS OF A
COMPRESSOR - CONTAINING UNIT AND
CONDENSER, INSTALLED OUTSIDE THE
BUILDING AND A NON COMPRESSOR CONTAINING AIR HANDLING UNIT
INSTALLED WITHIN THE BUILDING.
THIS IS THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF
SYSTEM INSTALLED IN A HOME.
THE COLD SIDE, CONSISTING OF THE
EXPANSION VALVE AND THE COLD
COIL, IS GENERALLY PLACED INTO A
FURNACE OR SOME OTHER AIR
HANDLER.
THE
AIR
HANDLER
BLOWS
AIR
THROUGH THE COIL AND ROUTES THE
AIR THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING
USING A SERIES OF DUCTS.
THE HOT SIDE, KNOWN AS THE
CONDENSING UNIT, LIVES OUTSIDE
THE
BUILDING.
IN
MOST
HOME
INSTALLATIONS.

SPLIT AC

15

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

THE UNIT CONSISTS OF A LONG, SPIRAL

COIL SHAPED LIKE A CYLINDER.
INSIDE THE COIL IS A FAN, TO BLOW AIR
THROUGH THE COIL, ALONG WITH A
WEATHER-RESISTANT
COMPRESSOR
AND
SOME CONTROL LOGIC.
IT NORMALLY RESULTS IN REDUCED NOISE
INSIDE THE HOUSE AND INCREASED NOISE
OUTSIDE THE HOUSE).
BESIDES THE FACT THAT THE HOT AND COLD
SIDES ARE SPLIT APART AND THE CAPACITY
IS HIGHER (MAKING THE COILS AND
COMPRESSOR LARGER), THERE IS NO
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SPLIT-SYSTEM AND
A WINDOW AIR CONDITIONER.
IN WAREHOUSES, BUSINESSES, MALLS,
LARGE DEPARTMENT STORES, ETC., THE
CONDENSING UNIT NORMALLY LIVES ON THE
ROOF AND CAN BE QUITE MASSIVE.

SPLIT AC

16

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

CENTRALIZED
AIRCONDITIONING
SYSTEMS,
PROVIDING
FULLY
CONTROLLED
HEATING,
COOLING, AND VENTILATION
THESE ARE EMPLOYED WIDELY
IN
THEATERS,
STORES,
RESTAURANTS, AND OTHER
PUBLIC
BUILDINGS.
SUCH
SYSTEMS, BEING COMPLEX,
GENERALLY
MUST
BE
INSTALLED
WHEN
THE
BUILDING IS CONSTRUCTED.
SUCH
INSTALLATIONS
ARE
USED
FOR
COOLING
AND
DEHUMIDIFYING DURING THE
SUMMER MONTHS, AND THE
REGULAR HEATING SYSTEM IS
USED DURING THE WINTER.

CENTRALISED A.C

17

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

IN SMALL SYSTEMS, AIR IS USED

TO DISSIPATE THE HEAT FROM
THE OUTSIDE COIL WHEREAS IN
LARGE SYSTEMS, THE EFFICIENCY
CAN BE IMPROVED BY USING A
COOLING TOWER.
THE COOLING TOWER CREATES A
STREAM
OF
LOWERTEMPERATURE WATER.
THIS WATER RUNS THROUGH A
HEAT EXCHANGER AND COOLS
THE HOT COILS OF THE AIR
CONDITIONER UNIT.
IT COSTS MORE TO BUY THE
SYSTEM
INITIALLY,
BUT
THE
ENERGY
SAVINGS
CAN
BE
SIGNIFICANT
OVER
TIME
(ESPECIALLY IN AREAS WITH LOW
HUMIDITY).

COOLING TOWER

18

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

COOLING TOWER
A
COOLING
TOWER
BLOWS
AIR
THROUGH A STREAM OF WATER SO
THAT
SOME
OF
THE
WATER
EVAPORATES.
GENERALLY,
THE
WATER
TRICKLES
THROUGH A THICK SHEET OF OPEN
PLASTIC MESH.
AIR BLOWS THROUGH THE MESH AT
RIGHT ANGLES TO THE WATER FLOW.
THE EVAPORATION COOLS THE STREAM
OF WATER.
BECAUSE SOME OF THE WATER IS LOST
TO EVAPORATION, THE COOLING TOWER
CONSTANTLY ADDS WATER TO THE
SYSTEM TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE

19

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

PSYCHROMETRY IS THE SCIENCE OF
STUDYING
THE
THERMODYNAMIC
PROPERTIES OF MOIST AIR AND THE USE
OF THESE PROPERTIES TO ANALYSE
CONDITION AND PROCESSES INVOLVING
MOIST AIR.
DIFFERENT
PSYCHROMETRIC
PROPERTIES ARE:
I.
WATER VAPOUR : THE MIXTURE OF AIR
AND WATER VAPOUR AT A GIVEN
TEMPERATURE
IS
SAID
TO
BE
SATURATED
WHEN
IT
CONTAINS
MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF WATER VAPOUR
THAT IT CAN HOLD.
II. DRY
BULB
TEMPERATURE
:
THE
TEMPERATURE OF AIR MEASURED BY
ORDINARY THERMOMETER. IT IS AN
INDICATOR O FHEAT CONTENT AND IS
SHOWN ALONG THE BOTTOM AXIS OF
THE PSYCHROMETRIC CHART.
III.
WET BULB TEMPERATURE : THE
TEMPERATURE
MEASURED
BY
THE
THERMOMETER , WHEN ITS BULB IS
COVERED WITH WET CLOTH AND IS
EXPOSED TO A CURENT OF MOVING
AIR .ON THE CHART THE WET BULB
LINES SLOPE A LITTLE UPWARD TO THE
LEFT AND THE TEMPERATURE IS READ
AT THE SATURATION LINE.

PSYCHROMETRY

20

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

PSYCHROMETRY
IV.

DEW POINT TEMPERATURE: TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THE WATER VAPOUR

STARTS CONDENSING i.e. THE TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THE AIR
BECOMES COMPLETELY SATURATED.IT IS REPRESENTED ALONG THE 100%
RELATIVE HUMIDITY LINE IN THE PSYCHROMETRIC CHART.
V.
SPECIFIC HUMIDITY: IT IS THE WEIGHT OF WATER VAPOUR PRESENT PER
K.G. OF DRY AIR
VI. ABSOLUTE HUMIDITY: IT IS THE WEIGHT OF WATER VAPOUR PRESENT PER
UNIT VOLUME OF DRY AIR.
VII. RELATIVE HUMIDITY: IT IS DEFINED AS THE RATIO OF MASS OF WATER
VAPOUR IN A GIVEN VOLUME OF AIR TO THE MASS OF WATER VAPOUR
PRESENT IN FULLY SATURATED AIR. IN CHART THEY ARE REPRESENTED BY
CURVED LINES THAT MOVE UPWARD TO THE RIGHT.
VIII. SENSIBLE HEAT: THE QUANTITY OF HEAT THAT CAN BE MEASURED BY
MEASURING THE DRY BULB TEMPERATURE OF AIR.
IX. ENTHALPY: IT IS THE MEASURE OF TOTAL ENERGY IN AIR, THE ENERGY
CONTENT PER UNIT WEIGHT OF AIR (BTU/LB D.A). IT IS READ FROM
WHERE THE APPROPRIATE WET BULB LINES CROSSES THE DIAGONAL
SCALE ABOVE SATURATION CURVE.

21

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

A PSYCHROMETRIC CHART SHOWS THE
INTERRELATION OF ALL THE IMPORTANT
PROPERTIES DESCRIBED ABOVE.
THE DRY BULB TEMPRATURE IS TAKEN
ALONG
ABCISSA
AND
SPECIFIC
HUMIDITY AS THE ORDINATE TO THE
RIGHT SIDE OF THE CHART.
SAY SPECIFIC HUMIDITY AT 10, 20, 30OC
ARE 7.6, 14.7, 27 THEN WE CAN
REPRESENT ALL THESE POINTS ON THE
CHART AS SHOWN.
IF ALL THESE POINTS ARE JOINED BY A
LINE THEN THIUS LINE REPRESENTS
100% SATURATION LINE OR 100% R.H.
THE
POINTS
A,
B,
C,D
ALSO
REPRESENTS WET BULB AND DEW
POINT TEMPERATURE BECAUSE D.B.T
AND W.B.T. ARE SAME AT 100%
SATURATED AIR.

psychrometric chart

22

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

psychrometric chart
IF VERTICAL DISTANCES AA, BB AND CC ARE EQUALLY DIVIDED INTO
FIVE EQUAL PARTS THEN THE POINTS A1, B1, C1 REPRESENTS80%
SATURATION AND THE POINTS A4, B4, C4 REPRESENTS 20% SATURATION.
IF ALL THESER POINTS A1, B1 AND C1 ARE JOINED BY A CURVE THEN THAT
CURVE REPRESENTS CONSTANT RELATIVE HUMIDITY LINES AS 80%.
CONSTANT ENTHALPY LINES : THESE ARE DRAWN WITH THE HELP OF
EQUATION :
H = ( 0.24+0.45TDB+HFG+ 0.55 TDP )
AS DIFFERENT VALUES OF TDB GIVE DIFFERENT THEN ALL RHESE POINTS
CAN BE MARKED
AND JOINING EACH OF THEM GIVES CONSTANT
ENTHALPY LINES.
CONSTANT WBT LINES : WBT IS A MEASURE OF ENTHALPY OF MOIST AIR
THEREFORE CONSTANT ENTHALPY LINES ARE ALSO CONSTANT WBT
LINES. WBT AN DDBT ARE SAME AT SATURATION CONDITION.

23

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

CONSTANT VOLUME VARIABLE TEMPERATURE
SYSTEM (REFRIGERATION CONTROL)

arrangement of
components

IN THIS SYSTEM, THE QUANTITY OF REFRIGERANT IN DIRECT EXPANSION

SYSTEM OR CHILLED WATER THROUGH THE HUMIDIFIER IS CONTROLLED
WITH THE USE OF THERMOSTAT LOCATED AT THE RETURN AIR DUCT.
WHEN LOAD IS LARGE, CHILLED WATER HUMIDIFIER WITH MODULATED
CONTROL IS USED
THE THERMOSTATIC CONTROL ALSO REGULATES THE QUANTITIES OF
MAXIMUM OUTDOOR AIR AND RETURN AIR TO PROVIDE COOLING BY
OUTSIDE AIR DURING MARGINAL WEATHER CONDITIONS.
THE HEATING COIL TAKES CARE OF WINTER HEATING AND PREHEATING COIL
TAKES CARE OF THE SITUATION WHEN THE TEMPERATURE OF MIXTURE OF
RETURN AND OUTDOOR AIR IS BELOW THE NEEDED TEMPERATURE.

24

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

CONSTANT VOLUME VARIABLE TEMPERATURE
SYSTEM
(BYPASS CONTROL)

arrangement of
components

IN THIS SYSTEM, THE ARRANGEMENT IS MADE IN SUCH A WAY THAT PART

OF RETURN AIR CAN BE BYPASSED AROUND THE DEHUMIDIFER.
REFRIGERATION CAPACITY REQUIRED IN DEHUMIDIFIER IS CONTROLLED
WITH THE HELP OF FACE DAMPERS.
THE TEMPERATURE OF AIR LEAVING THE DEHUMIDIFIER FALLS WITH THE
INCREASE IN BYPASS FACTOR AND FALLING CHILLED WATER TEMPERATURE.
THIS IMPROVES HUMIDITY.
THE BYPASS AND FACE DAMPERS CAN REGULATE THE OUTDOOR AIR FOR
COOLING IN MARGINAL WEATHER WHEN PLANT IS STOPPED.
THE SIZING OF RETURN, BYPASS AND OUTDOOR DUCTS AND THEIR
CONNECTIONS ARE SO MADE THAT THE OUTDOOR AIR DOES NOT GET
SHORT CIRCUITED THROUGH BYPASS CONNECTION.

25

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

WORKING OF A.C

A
NUMBER
OF
MANUFACTURING
PROCESSES,
REQUIRE
AIR
CONDITIONING
FOR
THE
CONTROL
OF
CONDITIONS
DURING
MANUFACTURE. AIR CONDITIONING OF THIS KIND USUALLY IS BASED ON
ADJUSTING THE HUMIDITY OF THE CIRCULATED AIR.
WHEN DRY AIR IS REQUIRED, IT IS USUALLY DEHUMIDIFIED BY COOLING
OR BY DEHYDRATION.
IN THE LATTER PROCESS IT IS PASSED THROUGH CHAMBERS CONTAINING
ADSORPTIVE CHEMICALS SUCH AS SILICA GEL.
AIR IS HUMIDIFIED BY CIRCULATION THROUGH WATER BATHS OR SPRAYS.
WHEN AIR MUST BE COMPLETELY FREE OF DUST, AS IS NECESSARY IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF CERTAIN DRUGS AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES, THE
AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO INCLUDE SOME TYPE OF
FILTER. THE AIR IS PASSED THROUGH WATER SPRAYS OR, IN SOME
FILTERS, THROUGH A LABYRINTH OF OIL-COVERED PLATES; IN OTHERS,
DUST IS REMOVED ELECTROSTATICALLY BY MEANS OF PRECIPITATORS.

26

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

MOST AIR CONDITIONERS HAVE THEIR
CAPACITY RATED IN BRITISH THERMAL
UNITS (BTU).
A BTU IS THE AMOUNT OF HEAT
REQUIRED TO RAISE THE TEMPERATURE
OF ONE POUND (0.45 KG) OF WATER 1
DEGREE FAHRENHEIT (0.56 DEGREES
CELSIUS).1 BTU EQUALS 1,055 JOULES.
IN HEATING AND COOLING TERMS, 1
"TON" EQUALS 12,000 BTU.
A TYPICAL WINDOW AIR CONDITIONER
MIGHT BE RATED AT 10,000 BTU. FOR
COMPARISON, A TYPICAL 2,000-SQUAREFOOT (185.8 M2) HOUSE MIGHT HAVE A
5-TON (60,000-BTU) AIR CONDITIONING
SYSTEM, IMPLYING THAT YOU MIGHT
NEED PERHAPS 30 BTU PER SQUARE
FOOT.
A 3 TON AIR CONDITIONER IS CAPABLE
OF REMOVING A COMBINED SENSIBLE
AND LATENT (HUMIDITY) LOAD OF 36,000
BTUH PER HOUR (3 X 12,000)

TERMINOLOGY

THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY

RATING (EER) OF AN AIR
CONDITIONER IS ITS BTU
RATING OVER ITS
WATTAGE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF A 10,000BTU AIR CONDITIONER
CONSUMES 1,200 WATTS,
ITS EER IS 8.3 (10,000
BTU/1,200 WATTS).
OBVIOUSLY, THE EER TO BE
AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE, BUT
NORMALLY A HIGHER EER
IS ACCOMPANIED BY A
HIGHER PRICE.

27